What Makes Leaves Change Color In Central New Yrok

There is so much beauty in Upstate New York, but one thing that sets us apart from other regions is the amazing fall foliage. Each year the trees go from green to shades of orange, yellow, and red. It's a sign that summer has officially ended, and colder weather is on the way. It's the "bitter-sweet" season!

What makes the leaves change color, die, and fall from the tree? That's the curious question. To get the proper answer you need to look to science. According to SUNY ESF, it all comes down to Chlorophyll, or as Billy Madison would say, "more like Boreophyll!" An article on their website explains why the changes occur during the fall season.

...because of changes in the length of daylight and changes in temperature, the leaves stop their food-making process. The chlorophyll breaks down, the green color disappears, and the yellow to orange colors become visible and give the leaves part of their fall splendor.

Depending on the type of tree, or geographic location, colors can change to shades of red, orange, and even purple.

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Explained scientifically, the color and time of wilting and dying depends on a number of factors including type of tree, temperatures, and sunlight. There are a bunch of cool terms on the ESF website you can check out for yourself.

If you've never been leaf-peeping in the Adirondacks, you don't know what you're missing. In fact, you don't need to travel exclusively up north to see beautiful landscapes. You can take a Sunday drive down any country highway and see incredible views. From east to west, Upstate New York truly is the best.